Author's note: Fake dating Stydia fic. Canon-divergent post S4 and set in the near future.

Chapter 1

They've been living together for the better part of two years. And no, he's not dating Lydia Martin.

Trust him, he'd know.

He has repeated that sentence so many times for the last two years that it's probably printed on his forehead by now.

Sure, they are great together and have made out occasionally during that period - more often than occasionally but, well, technicalities – yet no, they are not dating. In fact, it's in times like this that he loathes her, wishes he'd never taken up on her offer because they are so close that the redhead knows exactly what to say to get to him and he hates it. And okay, it's not like he doesn't know what to say to get to her because he does, but that's not important right now.

What's important right now is that Lydia might have come up with the worst idea ever and it all began with a call from Natalie…

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They are two weeks into summer break when, one late afternoon, Lydia comes out of her room and makes her way to Stiles, who's sprawled on the couch reading a comic. "Mom wants to say hi," she tells him with a smile.

He takes the phone from her eagerly, forgetting his reading promptly and throwing the comic book to their coffee table. "Hey Natalie," he greets vivaciously.

"Stiles! How is my favorite spazz?" The older woman teases from the other side of the line, a playful tone in her voice as always.

"Perfect. I think I'm turning into a couch potato though, and it's your daughter's fault. She doesn't encourage me to get out of the house." Lydia sits beside him and punches Stiles in the stomach a little harder than necessary, making him sit up promptly. "Ouch!" Lydia laughs. "You know, your daughter just physically assaulted me," he exclaims exaggeratedly to an amused Natalie. "The only reason I'm not dragging her ass to jail is because I need her to help me pay the rent."

And because you like my ass, Lydia mouths. Stiles smacks her with a pillow.

Natalie laughs freely to his ramblings as always, engaged in the conversation. Hearing from Stiles makes her day every time. He continues. "How are things back home?"

"Oh you know," Natalie sighs. "Same old boring Beacon Hills, nothing much ever happens here." Even after a few years, Natalie continues oblivious to the supernatural.

"Yeah I know, right?" Stiles muses.

"Is that him?" Stiles hears a younger voice call, a woman who's obviously not Lydia's mom.

"Who's that?" He asks curious. In response, he hears giggling from the other line and finds a slightly apprehensive Lydia staring back at him.

"Oh honey, you'll meet her soon, don't worry," Natalie clarifies. "It's Lydia's cousin Jade. She's visiting."

He catches the other woman saying 'Hi' in the back. "Well, tell her hi for me," he mutters. "And please let her know that you Martins are gonna be the death of me one day. At this rhythm, I'll have met your whole family in a year, Natalie, and putting up with Lydia is more than enough, you know?" He mocks, raising an eyebrow at the strawberry blonde and laughing, successfully avoiding her blow this time.

And Stiles has got a point. In the last year alone he has met almost half of Lydia's family. One of her aunts from her father's side had a big 50th birthday party a few months ago and they made sure that Lydia went. Because she didn't want to go alone and her father would be there - Natalie had politely declined the invitation -, Stiles tagged along at Lydia's insistence for support as her friend.

Like he would say no, anyway. Lydia asked, he went.

"Then you should already know us Martins better than that Stiles," Natalie jokes. "We're aiming for less than a year for you to meet everyone, sweetheart."

"Ah! Aren't you funny," he whines.

They talk for a little while longer and it's a regular occurrence, all the kids talking to all the parents. Ever since they left for college, that homesick feeling hits them sometimes, more so because everyone is back in California except for Lydia and Stiles, who are living together all the way in Massachusetts. Scott and Kira left Beacon Hills but are still in California, also enrolled in college; Scott didn't want to stay too far away from their hometown but he couldn't stand being there anymore either, so he left and Kira went with him. Stiles and Lydia, however, dreamed bigger; everyone knew that. So when the letters came and Stiles found out that he had been granted a scholarship, he found himself conflicted because the Stilinskis could barely afford for Stiles o move so far away, not to mention how he'd miss his dad to death.

Lydia stepped in then, showing up at his house one night after he had ignored her phone calls all day. He knew that if someone could make him change his mind, it would be her, and she did. Lydia made him see that his dreams were important, that they mattered, that he mattered. That his dad would still be there when he got back, and that if something were to happen Scott was close by. When he shared with her his concerns about moving over 3000 miles away and how he didn't know if he could afford it, she didn't think twice about it. Lydia had already talked to a family friend and found a small two-bedroom condo for herself close to campus, so it was only natural that Stiles shared it with her. In reality, even before he brought it up Lydia had already assumed that they'd live together. The opposite had never even crossed her mind, not that she intends on ever admitting that to him. And so Stiles accepted and that's why they have been living together for the better part of two years.

Stiles wraps up the conversation with Natalie. "Well, gotta go. If I don't feed your daughter, she'll starve and I'm not really up to having a dead body in my living room." He laughs at Lydia's scowl. "And if I don't talk to you soon it might be because she killed me. We're about to decide what we're having for dinner." And truly, he's only half joking; Lydia and Stiles tend to argue a little too much when it comes to deciding their meals.

Natalie is well aware of that. "Well, since she can't hear me, just know that I'm rooting for you," the woman tells him and Stiles beams.

If only he knew how much she means that… "Good to know," he smirks deviously. "Talk to you soon."

"Take care, sweetheart. And check your texts," the woman teases.

"Okay sure, I will," Stiles replies a little confused. "Bye." He hangs up and returns the phone to Lydia.

She places it on the coffee table and stirs on her seat to get closer to Stiles, her bare legs touching his. Stiles doesn't hesitate, and lets his hands caress the skin of her legs for a moment before pulling them to his lap, as usual, while Lydia adjusts to sit right beside him. This is normal, or at least as normal as one can consider between two friends, especially in moments like this, when Lydia got out of the shower not long ago and her damp hair is still tangled because her mom called before she could dry it; when the only thing she's wearing is a t-shirt and panties (and Stiles is sure she's not wearing a bra. Way too many months living with her to know when she is and when she's not wearing one!).

Stiles loves these moments. Loves seeing how carefree Lydia has become around him, loves knowing how relaxed he has become around her. Because while Lydia is barely clothed at the moment, Stiles is not so different since he's only wearing some shorts. It's summer, it's hot both outside and inside the house and they've been living together for almost two years. They couldn't care less. Damn what other people think!

"I seriously love your mom," Stiles tells her, reaching for his t-shirt. Even if they're used to this proximity between them by now, things tend to happen when one of them is without a shirt on.

"Well, I can tell you that she loves you more than I do right now," Lydia answers, a smug smile on her lips. "Why are you putting your shirt on?" She asks teasingly.

"Why shouldn't I?" He counter-argues, amused. They don't even need banter for things to happen between them now. If things have to happen, they just do. "See something you like?" Stiles mocks, raising an eyebrow.

Lydia snorts, amused. "You are despicable."

"You love it, shut up!"

"I was just asking because I was wondering if you were cold, that's all, since it's pretty hot in here," she states matter-of-factly, grinning.

"I better not answer that," he says with a small smile, blushing even if this is pretty much part of their daily conversations.

"So…" Lydia starts playing with the hem of her shirt, avoiding his gaze purposefully and trying not to smile already because she knows he'll see right through her. "I was thinking maybe dinner could be on me tonight."

He furrows his eyebrows. "What do you want?"

She pretends to be offended, proud of herself for not giving in to the smile so soon. "Why would you assume that I want something, Stilinski?"

"First, dinner is never on you, never. Second, you just called me by my last name. And third, you have that look."

She smiles. "What look?"

He smirks. "What do you want, Martin? Spill it."

Lydia is the one blushing this time. She's sure he's gonna kill her. "So uh… I was talking to my mom and a cousin of mine is visiting…"

"Yeah. Jade, right?"

Lydia nods. "We grew up together basically, me and Jade. She's just a year older than us. She lived in Beacon Hills with her dad when we were kids. We were really close back then."

"Oh." For a split second, Lydia looks a little sad and Stiles' thumb starts moving in lazy circles on her thigh. "When was the last time you saw her?"

"I think she was fourteen when they moved. We talk on the phone from time to time but I haven't seen her since then."

"It's too bad that you're not home now. You could have seen her," he says apologetic. Pausing, Stiles thinks for a moment. "Is she staying for long? We could go home sooner, if you want."

Lydia purses her lips in a smile. Even though they are only supposed to return to Beacon Hills over a month from now to visit, she knows that Stiles would do it in a second for her. Then she blushes, remembering the purpose of the current conversation. "Actually, that's what I want to talk to you about. Sort of, I guess. She's getting married."

Before Stiles can assimilate what Lydia is trying to tell him, he bursts out laughing. "YES! You owe me ten bucks." Lydia frowns, remembering their bet. The one who'd be cursed to have to go to a wedding from a family member or friend their age first would lose ten bucks. Don't judge them; they were drunk when they did that, make the bet. That and other things, if Lydia remembers correctly. Absently, she bites her lip at the memory as Stiles keeps rambling. "I'm so glad it's you and not me," he chuckles. "Ah man, I'll have to tell Scott. He owes me another ten."

She slaps his arm. "Stiles, focus." He stops laughing but he's still smiling when he lays back down on the couch, his right hand moving to her lower back. Lydia fixes his shirt; no need to be looking at his happy trail right now. Yet she still licks her lips, distracted for a moment.

"Right, sorry! Again, what do you want?" he asks playful. It always seems to be like this with them these days.

"Continuing…" Lydia rolls her eyes, feigning annoyance. Stiles pinches her lightly in retaliation and she slaps his arm again. "Jade's been visiting the family to invite everyone to the wedding. That's why she went to see my mom. It was just good timing that we were on the phone when she stopped by, so I got to talk to her."

It hadn't necessarily been good timing. Natalie took advantage of the situation the same way Lydia did, even if she'll probably never admit to that either.

Stiles interrupts her. "Is that what all the squealing was about?"

Lydia might or might not have been jumping in excitement, letting out little squeals as her cousin told her everything about the proposal and the wedding plans and her other news. She chuckles. "Yes. Now will you just let me finish?"

Her hands betray her as Lydia approaches the question that she really wants to ask him, and before she knows it she's leaning down beside him on the couch, her right arm resting on his chest as she maps his muscles slowly, like she's used to do when she's a little nervous. Stiles notices and shuts up, nodding for her to continue.

"Jade invited me to the wedding, of course…" Lydia ignores the mocking face he's making. "The thing is that I might have told her I was bringing someone with me," she confesses embarrassed, her cheeks turning scarlet.

Stiles starts laughing again. "You what? Not only you're the first who'll have to go to a wedding, but now you're also gonna have to find someone to go with you? Why'd you do that?"

It's always funny to Lydia how oblivious Stiles can be sometimes. "And not only that but my mom thought it would be funny to tell Jade I wasn't bringing just someone, but my boyfriend."

Stiles chuckles. "Your mom hates you so much sometimes…" Lydia frowns. "When is the wedding?"

"In three weeks."

"Wait, three weeks? And your cousin is just telling you guys now?" He asks, surprised.

"Jade and Oliver have been engaged for over two years but they recently found out that maybe it would be better if they rushed things up a bit. Or a lot, actually."

"Wait. Don't tell me she's…"

"Pregnant? Yes."

"Wow! I'm really sorry for you, Lyds, I am. Not only do you have to attend your first wedding as an adult at 21 years old – and your pregnant cousin's wedding, by the way - but you only have three weeks to find a date to attend said ceremony with you?" He kisses the top of her head and chuckles. "I'm really, really sorry. I'll make sure not to forget to buy you lots of ice cream the next time I go to the grocery store. Don't worry, I got you covered," Stiles says with a grin.

"Oh, you really do."

"What?"

Here we go, she thinks. "Have my back. Brace yourself, Stilinski, because my mom might have told Jade that you are my boyfriend."

Stiles sits up quickly, his heart racing suddenly, his grin disappearing completely. "What? Why would she do that?!"

Lydia swallows, nervous, sitting up too. "Well, she was telling Jade that you and I have been living together ever since we left Beacon Hills and it kind of slipped…" Lydia lets out, a sheepish look on her face.

Stiles frowns. "Slipped? Things like that don't just slip, Lydia."

"Well, it did."

"You were on the line too. Why didn't you tell her we're…"

"Not dating?" Lydia finishes for him quickly. God, she hates labels. "You know my mom, Stiles. How many times have we told her that? It's like she's in denial, you know that…" It is. Natalie will tell anyone that Lydia and Stiles are dating. As the woman sees it, eventually it will stop being a lie. And to make matters worse it's not just Natalie who seems to be in denial; it's Natalie and the Sheriff and Melissa and pretty much everyone from the pack.

"You still could have told your cousin the truth."

"With my mom there, Jade wouldn't have believed me."

Stiles concedes; Lydia is probably right. "Then you could have told her you'd go alone and the boyfriend part would be forgotten."

Lydia purses her lips. "Maybe I don't want to go alone," she murmurs embarrassed.

"You could go with a friend," Stiles tries to reason.

"Again, she wouldn't have bought that. Not after my mom said that I was taking my boyfriend."

"Well, just call her back. Your cousin, not your mom. She'll understand, right?"

Lydia gets a little annoyed at his stubbornness even if this is not his fault. "And tell her what? That it's a lie and that I'm alone, that I don't have anyone? And actually go to the wedding alone? No, thanks."

Stiles exhales sharply through his nose. "Okay first, I take it back. I hate your mom. Second, you're not alone, you have me. Don't be a little bitch about it." Lydia chuckles at his rambling. "And you don't have to go alone, Lydia. Just find someone to go with you."

"That's why I'm asking you," she admits, blushing again. Stiles and Lydia can flirt easily; they do it pretty much every day, but if things get a little too personal one of them tends to back out, afraid to cross a line.

Except when they're drunk. A lot happens when they're drunk.

"Lydia, you can take anyone, come on. You could have so much fun…" He has to admit that his heart faltered at her confession, but why would Lydia want to take him? "What about Adam? He seems interested."

Adam is their downstairs neighbor, who's been drooling over Lydia for a month. He's built, British and has a pair of blue eyes like Lydia hasn't seen before, perfect for a one-night stand, she likes to think. But the thing is he's got nothing on her current roommate. "It's gonna be for a full week, Stiles." She tucks her hair behind her ears. "Jade's gonna need some help to prepare things at such short notice, you know? So some of us are gonna go a little earlier to help out. And I'm not gonna take someone I don't know to the wedding of one of my closest family members for a full week of pretending to be dating the guy."

They are quiet for a while as he ponders. When Stiles breaks the silence, Lydia is not sure if she wants to hear what he has to say. "If you're asking me to go with you, Lydia, I'm more than happy to. But you'll have to call Jade and tell her we're not dating and that you'll be taking a friend. I'm sure she'll understand."

"But I don't want that."

"Lydia…"

"Stiles, I don't want my first wedding to be like 'Oh, look at her. She doesn't have anyone. She's gonna end up alone with nine cats.'"

Stiles looks at her a little proud like he does sometimes, a glint in his eyes and a small smile on his lips. "Okay, I definitely think we're spending way too much time together. You're dramatizing just like me." She scowls and he chuckles, cupping her cheeks and meeting her gaze. "That's not gonna happen, Lyds. People won't judge you – and if they do, fuck them." She smiles. "And you're not gonna end up alone, okay? You're just 21."

She looks down in defeat. Her voice breaks. "Stiles, would you… Would you just do it? For me?"

He notices that there's something she's not telling him yet, but as always she'll let him know in time. And whatever that may be, when she glances back at him looking like she's lost without him, Stiles knows he's gone. He'd literally do anything for her, even if it means getting himself hurt in the process.

It's not like it would be the first time, anyway.

They stay in silence for longer this time and he retreats his hands from her cheeks, keeping them on his lap instead. "You realize that we're gonna have to pretend to be dating for that to work, right?" He voices lowly.

Lydia purses her lips once more. "Shouldn't be too hard. I mean, we live together, we're close friends. And we have chemistry, it's not like we can deny that…" It's hard to tell who she's trying to convince: Stiles or herself. "We can make it work," she says determined.

He lies back on the couch again. "We'd have to pretend to be a couple in front of your family. We'll have to kiss and cuddle and stuff like that."

"It's not like we haven't done it before." They have. Too many times, really. At least for two friends who adamantly tell people that they're not dating. "Just not in public, but I'm sure we'll manage."

His fingers fidget nervously on his belly and Lydia knows his mind is probably analyzing every aspect of this. "I don't know if this is a good idea, Lydia…"

"Please, Stiles. We're just starting summer. It's not like we have anything better to do anyways, come on."

They are only supposed to return to Beacon Hills in a little over a month to visit their family and friends. It's when Scott and Kira will be there too (they are away visiting Kira's family), so until then Stiles and Lydia planned on doing absolutely nothing. And okay, he has to admit that he likes the possibility of being Lydia's date to the first wedding she's invited to, but this is a recipe for disaster, Stiles is well aware. Why can't they leave things as they are right now, perfect?

At his silence, Lydia pleads again. "Stiles, please don't make me go out there and choose a random guy to be my fake date at a wedding."

Like he'd actually let her do that. "Can I think about it?" She nods reluctantly and Stiles gets up from the couch. "Chinese takeout for dinner?"

"Let me go grab dinner tonight. It's the least I can do," she offers, feeling a little guilty for putting him in a position that, she's slowly realizing, could jeopardize their friendship.

Stiles smiles almost shyly. "It's okay, I don't mind. It will give me time to think anyway." What he needs is to call Scott, like right now. This is too surreal and what is more shocking is that Stiles is seriously considering it. He might be freaking out internally.

Lydia nods again, agreeing with his choice for dinner without an argument this time, and stands up too, kissing him in the cheek. "Thank you. I love you."

It has become fairly common for them to share such words; it's almost second nature to them by now. It doesn't imply their feelings for the other, not the romantic ones anyway. He only gives her a small smile, starting to feel a little jittery. "Save it for when I actually say yes to that indecent proposal of yours."

"I'll still love you if you say no," she teases.

"Good." He returns the kiss. "Love you too. I'll be back in a few."

Putting on some sneakers and grabbing his phone and his wallet, Stiles heads for the front door, already dialing Scott's number as he walks out.